really is the Trésor de L’espoir ?”
“If this mythical legend held even a nugget of truth … I’d send my men to find it myself, but there isn’t. It’s a story as old as time.” Marcus laughed at Drake’s question. No doubt this Tracker was a foolish young man drumming attention. It worked.
“But what if?”
“If what? If I am wrong? Then I will bow to whoever finds the missing jewel and pledge my allegiance.” He guffawed at the words he spoke.
Drake didn’t share in the laughter. He took this seriously, and his focus caused Marcus to pick up the paper once more, studying the words. Drake spoke, “If it’s real, and we don’t find it first, then the Gem Tracker will have all the power. Power over the land, power over you.”
The air in the room shifted, as Marcus realized the gamble he’d make if he let the cards fall as they willed. It was too great a risk, ridiculous myth or not.
“I will send some men, Your Majesty.”
“I suppose you should.”
Marcus sat at his ornate desk, edged in crystals; trying not to think about the foolish story Drake had brought to his attention. A ridiculous boy, vying for the throne. He curled his lips at the absurdity that a simple boy from a village presumed to gain his own power.
Marcus focused on King Francis instead, calculating ways to force his hand, gripping tightly to his power gave him much more pleasure than a petty thief.
He had reviewed the preposterous items Cozette had agreed to provide for the people of Gemmes yesterday when listening to the representatives. It would cost a sizable fortune he wasn’t keen on parting with. School funds, medicine, eradicating the food shortages. The list went on and on. The people loved Cozette because of her bleeding heart, but love only takes one so far.
He wasn’t interested in love, anyway.
He lusted.
Power and control were yours if you held wealth. He wouldn’t lose all of that to some petty thief known as a Gem Tracker.
13.
Sophie
Montagne North, Gemmes
Sophie couldn’t believe her luck. An hour in this dingy town, and already she had a partenaire dans le crime . She watched Tristan meticulously pack his bag, filling the extra crevices with the food he had purchased. Sophie insisted he buy plenty of hard candies if he wanted to keep her in his employ. He obliged.
His wavy blond hair hung over his face, covering the profile she couldn’t help but admit she enjoyed. More than nice, actually. She bit her lip as she watched him, oddly tempted to fling herself at him. He didn’t notice; he focused on the bags sitting on his bed in the Aubérge. She reached toward him, wanting to touch him. He didn’t notice, so consumed with the packing ritual he apparently had.
“Just two nights in the mountain, then we’ll be back here, right?” Sophie asked. Her priority remained to find her parents. Still, when he asked her to be his porter, she hadn’t said no. Clearly he offered the job as an excuse to keep her here, and Sophie didn’t mind one bit. Sophie had hardly any money to finance the finding of the parents, and zero clues on which to go.
In the pit of her stomach she knew leaving the Vallee so hastily was a tad bit foolish.
“Yes, if we don’t find the diamond by then, we‘ll need to reassess. I need to go, with that informant blabbing, I don’t want to get any obnoxious trackers on my tail, or worse, the King’s Légion. I’d prefer they stay seaside, arresting other Trackers.”
Sophie nodded, absorbing his words. He had divulged so much information since meeting her, she couldn’t help but wonder why he felt so comfortable telling her.
“Why do you trust me? Perhaps I’m a spy in disguise. Or I could work for the king himself!” Sophie dared.
“Something about you. It’s like I don’t….”
“Don’t what?” she insisted.
“I don’t want you to go. I am drawn to you, does that sound strange?”
“Yes, but also a bit desperate. I don’t do clingy, you should
“If this mythical legend held even a nugget of truth … I’d send my men to find it myself, but there isn’t. It’s a story as old as time.” Marcus laughed at Drake’s question. No doubt this Tracker was a foolish young man drumming attention. It worked.
“But what if?”
“If what? If I am wrong? Then I will bow to whoever finds the missing jewel and pledge my allegiance.” He guffawed at the words he spoke.
Drake didn’t share in the laughter. He took this seriously, and his focus caused Marcus to pick up the paper once more, studying the words. Drake spoke, “If it’s real, and we don’t find it first, then the Gem Tracker will have all the power. Power over the land, power over you.”
The air in the room shifted, as Marcus realized the gamble he’d make if he let the cards fall as they willed. It was too great a risk, ridiculous myth or not.
“I will send some men, Your Majesty.”
“I suppose you should.”
Marcus sat at his ornate desk, edged in crystals; trying not to think about the foolish story Drake had brought to his attention. A ridiculous boy, vying for the throne. He curled his lips at the absurdity that a simple boy from a village presumed to gain his own power.
Marcus focused on King Francis instead, calculating ways to force his hand, gripping tightly to his power gave him much more pleasure than a petty thief.
He had reviewed the preposterous items Cozette had agreed to provide for the people of Gemmes yesterday when listening to the representatives. It would cost a sizable fortune he wasn’t keen on parting with. School funds, medicine, eradicating the food shortages. The list went on and on. The people loved Cozette because of her bleeding heart, but love only takes one so far.
He wasn’t interested in love, anyway.
He lusted.
Power and control were yours if you held wealth. He wouldn’t lose all of that to some petty thief known as a Gem Tracker.
13.
Sophie
Montagne North, Gemmes
Sophie couldn’t believe her luck. An hour in this dingy town, and already she had a partenaire dans le crime . She watched Tristan meticulously pack his bag, filling the extra crevices with the food he had purchased. Sophie insisted he buy plenty of hard candies if he wanted to keep her in his employ. He obliged.
His wavy blond hair hung over his face, covering the profile she couldn’t help but admit she enjoyed. More than nice, actually. She bit her lip as she watched him, oddly tempted to fling herself at him. He didn’t notice; he focused on the bags sitting on his bed in the Aubérge. She reached toward him, wanting to touch him. He didn’t notice, so consumed with the packing ritual he apparently had.
“Just two nights in the mountain, then we’ll be back here, right?” Sophie asked. Her priority remained to find her parents. Still, when he asked her to be his porter, she hadn’t said no. Clearly he offered the job as an excuse to keep her here, and Sophie didn’t mind one bit. Sophie had hardly any money to finance the finding of the parents, and zero clues on which to go.
In the pit of her stomach she knew leaving the Vallee so hastily was a tad bit foolish.
“Yes, if we don’t find the diamond by then, we‘ll need to reassess. I need to go, with that informant blabbing, I don’t want to get any obnoxious trackers on my tail, or worse, the King’s Légion. I’d prefer they stay seaside, arresting other Trackers.”
Sophie nodded, absorbing his words. He had divulged so much information since meeting her, she couldn’t help but wonder why he felt so comfortable telling her.
“Why do you trust me? Perhaps I’m a spy in disguise. Or I could work for the king himself!” Sophie dared.
“Something about you. It’s like I don’t….”
“Don’t what?” she insisted.
“I don’t want you to go. I am drawn to you, does that sound strange?”
“Yes, but also a bit desperate. I don’t do clingy, you should
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